Altrincham Grammar headteacher to take charge of four Manchester schools

Four inner-city schools are to transfer to the control of one of the country's most high-profile headteachers. Dana Ross Wawrzynski, in charge of Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, will become executive head of two primaries and two high schools in east Manchester.

Dana Ross Wawrzynski, headteacher of Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

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Four inner-city schools are to transfer to the control of one of the country's most high-profile headteachers.

Dana Ross Wawrzynski, in charge of Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, will become executive head of two primaries and two high schools in east Manchester.

Cedar Mount High, Melland High, and Gorton Mount and Stanley Grove primaries will opt out of Manchester council control and join forces with the successful girls school this summer.

Former biology teacher Ms Wawrzynski was praised by education secretary Michael Gove for 'running one of the most successful schools in the country'.

The move means the veteran head will be responsible for more than 3,000 pupils in the region.

The decision, which was voted on by governors at each of the schools, will see staff share expertise and management with the all-girls school.

Ms Wawrzynski will be in overall charge of the Bright Futures Education Trust, which runs the five schools. However, it is understood that existing headteachers at each school will remain in post, apart from one who is set to retire. The education group is also in talks with Manchester City to build a new sixth form college.

Plans have been submitted to the government for a new 600-place sixth form in East Manchester which would be sponsored by the club.

Governors at the schools believe that joining forces with the high-achieving Trafford grammar school, which became an independent academy last year, will drive up standards.

But the speed of the move has angered some staff, who claim there has been little consultation. Cedar Mount was praised by David Cameron during last year's Tory Party conference.

The prime minister did a live video call with pupils from the conference floor, describing the school as 'absolutely inspirational', stating 'It's not rocket science. It's about good leadership'.

Cedar Mount is located alongside the Melland school, which looks after 176 children with a special needs on a £25m shared campus in Gorton, which opened in 2008. Also included in the move is Gorton Mount primary school, which has 510 pupils, and the 520-pupil Stanley Grove in Longsight.

One teacher said: "There was a vote taken by staff at Cedar Mount and the vast majority voted against it becoming an academy. We think there have been massive improvements at the school this year and we also think the new academy will take the credit for them when the results come out in summer."